DAY 34 MARCH 10 AROUND THE WORLD IN 34 DAYS: ADVENTURES AND MISADVENTURES!

"There are no foreign lands.  It is the traveler that is foreign."
          Robert Louis Stevenson.

A lot to absorb about the trip of extremes.  Our travel allowed us  the chance to explore outside our day to day.  Do we travel to escape?  learn? explore? fulfill a duty?  And for Buddha Bubs the separation from his day to day creates a greater appreciation for home-the good ol'US of A!


I continue to be amazed by and most grateful for the lessons I learn through travel.  I hit my 100th country visited in Abu Dhabi.  I know my mind was broadened and my dignity humbled.  I hope I came home a better world citizen.  I appreciated the people I met along the way and I hope I represented myself and my country in a caring and proper manner- well maybe not proper but certainly in a kind and loving manner.  I enjoyed getting close to the people- their customs, their beliefs and their food.   For those who arm chair traveled with us, we appreciated your company and well wishes.


A HUGE THANK YOU TO ANNIE for being our travel partner.  She is an amazing person and such a wonderful influence on Bubbs Travel Behavior.  She has spoiled me by ridding him of his travel crabbiness.   Annie you are welcome to join on all trips!  And thank you for letting me have some fun with your "ANNIE-ISMS".














I assure you NO ONE ELSE ON THE PLANET could have convinced Bubba to buy and now "bringing to life what is dead"- TIBETAN SINGING BOWLS.  Way to go!

Your upbeat and open minded persona was appreciated- thank you Annie's family for sending her to join us!

“A journey is like marriage. The certain way to be wrong is to think you control it.” – John Steinbeck

Some travel lessons gleaned on this journey:
1.  Learn more about the country/religion/politics/history before you go.  I do buy the DVD's and books but just can't get around to reading/watching all of them pre trip which would make for a more meaningful experience having already had the background details prior to arrival.  Making listening to the tour guide and enjoying the moment real time.

2.  Pack less.  Bubbs and Boca reduced our load by 50% and could take it down another 20% which made for a lot easier moving around but also wearing the same clothes over and over.  As Bubs pointed out- what difference does it make Bocahita- it's always black for you.  Between Sister Nektaria and the Burqua Barbies- YOU FIT!

4.  Buy less souvenirs- how many scarfs from around the world does a gal need? And do your friends really want that tschocke you brought back for them??  You won't have to worry about packing so it doesn't break, or it will get ripped off from the luggage (like Annie's Regent World Cruise Jacket!), or your suitcase will be "over weight" or YOU HAVE TO LIE TO CUSTOMS ABOUT WHAT YOU DIDN'T BUY!

5.  Drink more water....make sure it's bottled and keep guzzling.

6.  Drink more vodka to kill the germs.

7.  Close your mouth in the shower...that water thing again.

8.  Lower your hygiene tolerance level- you too can learn how to pee in a hole.  And with the more modern john.....ol'Bocahita thought they wanted her to hose down the floor after every visit.  Oy.

9.  Reduce the make up bag stuff....I learned I didn't need 5 kinds of mascara and 4 kinds of foundation.

10.  Leave the guidebooks at home- they are heavy and you can look up on your IPad what you need to...and speaking of IPads leave the Mac Pro home too....if possible and you don't write a blog!  As well as forget the hard back books you have been meaning to read the past 6 months.  Will rethink that Kindle idea again...you know the one we tried last year and ended up giving to our dear friend Karen- who was smart enough to "get it".  Hey Bubs, can't you download on that IPad?

11.  Increase your tolerance and patience level....now this one is more of a goal for ol'bocahita.  Either this or increase the vodka again.

Travel can inspire us in many ways and for me I get to be a citizen of the world (no Bubbs, this does not translate into me changing Political parties)  for a short time while renewing, refreshing and being inspired.  I was inspired to make a difference through my meeting of Sister Nektaria.  It is interesting what travel inspiration can transform us into...I am hoping it is contagious.

Your BOCAHITA TURNS 60 THIS YEAR- NOVEMBER 5
Over the past year my birthday girls and I have been thinking about how we will celebrate this birthday milestone- back to Las Vegas?  NYC?  Outward Bound Trip?  South of France?  Nothing seemed to quite capture what would best mark this milestone.  Then, I met Sister Nektaria in Calcutta.  I will be going back to Calcutta to celebrate my birthday with Sister and the children.  My plan is to stay for a month or so and jump in at the orphanage to lend a hand or maybe two.  I cannot think of a more glorious way to celebrate Bocahita's Big Birthday!  For all of you who are thinking about what you might want to do for me (or to me) this year, may I ask you for a special birthday gift this year?  If you find it in your heart, make a check out (you know it is tax deductible) to the St. Basil Orphanage or you can donate on line so Sister can continue her work and that her LEGACY can live on.


No amount is too small; even the smallest amount can make a huge impact these beautiful children.  I am also happy to take your check and make sure it gets to her.  Most importantly, all the funds go straight to Sister's Orphanage.  There is zero admin cost in  your donation so rest assured ol'Boca will follow through for you.

A final thought to everyone's adventurous side, JOIN ME! I invite you to come with me.   Maybe not for a month but a week or two?  I guarantee the experience will have an impact on YOUR LIFE.  I thank you in advance for your heartfelt generosity and kindness.  I promise it will make an impact on the life of these children.

www.thepsoc.org ----- for Sisters Web Site and Info

and have you had a chance to watch THE LUCKY GIRLS MOVIE?
WWW.LUCKYGIRLS.COM  -  check it out

Donate via PayPal

 

You can specify a program or child for one-time donation instead of sponsorship. Please include a message to direct your personal donation at checkout.

You can set up a monthly donation at our Meet the Children page.

For Donations within the United States

Donate via Check

You can also send a check, made payable to the St. Basil Orphanage Fund:  this is a 501C3 organization set up in the USA to collect funds for the Orphanages which enables you to get your tax deduction.

St. Basil Orphanage Fund
6430 Bose Lane
San Jose, CA 95120

DAY 33 MARCH 9 ABU DHABI: YA BA DABA DOO!

What would you do with $600 billion in cash?  If you're the capital of the United Arab Emirates, rich in oil, the answer is easy:  go shopping.  Once aloof from the spendthrift ways of neighboring Dubai, Abu Dhabi- which so far has not experienced the unrest may Arab countries are facing are on a roll (although a slowed down roll of the past few years) in building high profile venues out of the desert.  A 1 1/2 hr ride form Dubai we noticed the obvious change from one state (Dubai) to the next (Abu Dhabi) on the highway- the former Sheik of AD planted 1.8 million trees along the expressway wanting to green the place up a bit.  The Sheik died in 2004 and the son took over and boy did things start to change around here.  With a population of 1.5 million of which 420,000 are citizens with EACH HAVING AN AVERAGE NET WEALTH OF $17 MILLION!  How's that for the family biz doing well.

YAS ISLAND:  IT'S ALL ABOUT THE CAR BABY!

First stop YAS Island.  YAS?  Yas Bocahita.

Bubbs checks out the formula one race track and most fabulous "seats"...talk about a high tech track.

The requisite Sheik's Super Yacht parked right in the middle of the track, bringing new meaning to SHOWBOATING.

Annie and Bubbs checkout the ultra modern Viceroy Hotel next to the track (the track is blue to match the water surrounding it)- remember this is a man made island attached to Abu Dhabi.

and right down the road is Ferrari World for all you Ferrari lovers.  Shout out to our pal Ferrari Fred- this place is all you!

more sleek and high tech exhibits and poor Bubbs can't fit in one to take for a test spin.  Whew....get back in the truck Chuck!

First stop Saadiyat Island- $27 Billion is being spent to develop this island a couple of miles from the city center.  The center piece of the project will be four world-class museums:  a branch of the Louvre, the Guggenheim Modern Art Museum, a Martime museum and the Sheikh Zayed National Museum (Foster and Parnters) along with a spectacular Performing Arts center.  Don't forget New York University is opening a branch here too. Who knows when completion will occur but impressive to see all the building going on...and don't forget the Human Rights violations that occurred in 2009 including charging the labors to work on the project, paying them less than promised and holding their passports so they couldn't bail.  Other than that what's up?

The Corniche- kinda like their Lake Shore Drive (and Dubai really doesn't have this..yet) is newly renovated and a beautiful boulevard...still under construction to really show off the city.


And how about the Emirates Palace Hotel!!  Built and owned by the Abu Dhabi Government at a cost of $3 Billion the 362 room behemoth is said to be the most expensive hotel ever built.  Talk about 1,000 Nights!   It took 20,000 workers 3 years to build. The landmark hotel lives up to every Western cliche about the petroleum-fueled opulence of life in the Gulf.  A study in Arabian baroque and excess.  The scale of the hotel is staggering: around 1/2 a mile long...114 domes, 1,000 Swarovski crystal chandeliers,  150,000 cubes of imported marble and of course gold sinks and fixtures in the upper end suites.-room rates $400-$11,500 a night.  Oh yes the Bocahita must stay over here next visit....

We stop off to check out their shopping venue and hey what is that?















I need to get a little closer....they wear bedspreads here?  A throw back to the 60's??  Bocahita thinks she'll just stick to the LBD (little black dress) version.

 Bubb insists we stop off at the fish market to check out the local catch of the day...

 Hey we have those back home....do these Sheik's fish?  Ah, I don't think so Bubbs.

Blue Crab....making the Bocahita hungry.  Ah, said Marshall,  I have just the place for the Bocahita.....












His good friend Mohamed snuck us in to the private dinning room for the Sheik's family- of course they own the restaurant, and dock and and and...

OH YES YES YES, said the Bocahita.  This is exactly what I had in mind.














HERITAGE VILLAGE UAE built by the Head Shiek to remind the citizens where they came from.  Come on Bocahita I know it's not a hotel or mall but I would like to see the "farm"- remember what the palmist told you.  I am all about the farm.  Oh joy.  Ok I guess I can do the fake village.

Here a camel, there a camel, every where a camel CAMEL!

And what about those famous Camel Races?  They use little boys (age 2-5?)...lots of flap from Human Rights folks supposedly banning the practice and now they use robot jockeys???  We are talking multi-million dollar camels.  The Arabs love this type of racing....are they still using kid jockeys?

The Sheik built this mock Bedouin Village on the breakwater looking over to the new and ever so shiny city of Abu Dhabi- offering a glimpse of AD in the pre-oil days- it's all about the Bedouin Baby! The Sheik wanted to remind his people never to forget where they came from- the village represents centuries of nomadic people wandering from oasis to oasis followed by the conversion to Islam....right up to today's prosperity.

KEEPIN IT REAL,  said the Sheik.





The piece de resistance....SHEIKH ZAYED MOSQUE

 While it may not be the largest in the world , it is 3rd (Mecca and Medina 1 and 2) it does hold many impressive records.  This gargantuan mosque is a staggering vision of Islamic pride:  a huge white edifice topped by innumerable domes and flanked by four soaring minarets.  Completed in 2007 the mosque is named after the first UAE President- he is also buried here.









There is space here for 40,000 worshippers!  And only 1 of 2 mosque's in the UAE opened to non Muslim visitors.  It is home to the worlds largest carpet made in Iran by 1200 weavers covering 60,500 sq feet.  It is also graced by the world's largest chandelier made in Germany....containing a million Swarovski crystals!









 It took over 12 years for 3,000 laborers to build at a cost of over???  Various numbers given... from $550 million to over a Billion.....I am sure well over a billion is more accurate.  It is absoltly unreal, and I thought the Taj was all that!


















It was not hard to be awestruck as we visited  this most enormous and grand Mosque.  Talk about Islamic Glories.

Abu Dhabi appears to be a bit more traditional and conservative than Dubai but equally impressive.  On the way out of town Marshal points out the new Bedouin village...courtesy of the government building and paying for some very nice houses for the new and improved Bedouins.


The big unveil is ABU DHABI 2030- so the AD can continue to manage the tremendous $350 Billion in infrastructure going on over here, when they run out of oil in 2030.  Yes they have experienced the tumble of pricing like Dubai, but doing their best to plan for the future.  The ruling family did not open the market to international buyers until 2005- 3 years after Dubai.  Peaking with a buying frenzy in 2008 when people were lined up to buy apartments and villas- throwing money at the developers....then the global recession hit and their market tumbled.  Many delays but looking like the train is starting up again.  Can't wait to come back and stay over at that Emirates Palace....or better yet get invited to the real deal.  Hello a shout out to the Sheik's- Bocahita is available for parties and weddings!

DAY 32 MARCH 8 DAZZLING DUBAI

BURJ KHALIFA COMPLEX
After snagging some tickets to check out the TALLEST BUILDING IN THE World,THE BURJ KHALIFA,  we head over to the OTHER Burj.  The completion of the Burj coincided with the global financial crisis (2007-2010) and due to the bailout of the Burj by big brother Abu Dhabi the tower was renamed to Burj Khalifa to honor UAE President Khalifa bin Ayed.  The building was designed by the Chicago architectural firm- Skidmore, Owing and Merill to the tune of $1.5 Billion in cost.  Construction started in 2004 and was completed in 2009 with a grand opening in 2010.  Over 160 stories- 900 apartments of which not much over 75 have sold.  The complex includes, the mall, restaurants, hotels, condos, offices and more.







Come on Bubbs, another gorgeous day in Dubai.

The venue was brilliantly designed and of course ultra modern and high tech to move all of us visitors through smoothly.  In 2011 over 54 million visitors checked out this complex.

A view from the top looking down on the fountain.

the ocean, the expressway and other sky scrappers.....

and many Arabs throughout the region are included in the tourist category....Hey Mohammed, isn't this the spot Tom Cruise scaled the building in the 4th Mission Impossible movie?

Bocahita tries to convince Bubbs when in Rome....we need to get the matching outfit Bubbs.  Yes my darling Bocahita, you have the starter kit going on...all you need is the babushaka.

There are 23,349 windows and a window washer system on floors 40, 73 and 109.  It takes 36 workers 4 months to clean the facade.














DUBAI FOUNTAIN
Yes, that's the fabulous fountain....designed by the California firm who also designed the Bellagio/Las Vegas Hotel fountain.  6600 lights and lots of shooting water.

Brilliantly designed...who knew out in the middle of the desert such a phenomenal complex.

Lots of great spots to have a drink or a bite...

We watched he waters dance while enjoying a delicious lunch on patio...we have been oh so lucky with such fabulous weather.  No summer time visit for the Boca as she heard it gets up to 120...but its a dry heat.

Hence the need for the world's only air-conditioned bus stops!










DUBAI MALL:  SHIMMERING OPULENCE

Come on Bocahita, stay close as I want to keep tabs on that Am X card.

Men diving sculptures on a water fall in the mall...

Bubs enjoys the 2 story Mall Aquarium...

Being a tax free haven- this truly is a shopping mecca.  This is the WORLDS LARGEST MALL people!  Over 1200 stores, 160 Food and Beverage venues, an ice rink of Olympic proportions.

There is a children's wing- loaded with kiddie designer shops...

where do the hand me downs go??

all good to go for future Sheiks and Queens....

price tags matching their mom's hidden designer duds...

And the ladies shop on....Burqa: a body covering, head covering and a face veil.  Why do they wear those curtains but underneath all the designer duds, designer sunglasses, loads of make up and the requisite designer hand bag?  Actually, the Burqa started well before Islam started- in Persia 200 AD.  I know some of my favorite people- my dear Nun friends wear a Habit but in today's world even most of them have gone lay dress.  Is the Burqu a sign of servitude and degradation?  Are they suffocating under there in the desert sun?

and on...the original idea was to draw attention away form the woman but in today's world isn't it the opposite?

 And  maybe just this one time I might agree with the French....

My point precisely....







Bocahita meets a visitor from Kuwait....former Chair of the Bank of Kuwait and many other ventures....his wife and daughter were shopping.  This 88 year old man had a stroke last year and had trouble speaking but not to worry- Bocahita did enough for the both of them.  He so enjoyed her fun chat that HE ASKED FOR A PICTURE.   Apparently he must have heard about the BOCAHITA.











DESERT SAFARI FOR SOME AFTERNOON AND EVENING FUN

And out to the desert for a little sand madness.  Bocahita had visions of Lawrence of Arabia...not so much.   We meet up at cousin Mohamed's Tourist Trap....Annie you are wearing your Giuseppe mules out to the desert?  Good point Bocahita,  maybe I'll pick up these $2.00 rubber tongs that they are selling for $40.












and it's all Bocahita can do to resist the salt and pepper shakers...












Ah, RED BULL.   Annie is teaching the Bocahita how to drink Red Bull....yes Boca, drink Red Bull all day, eat an apple and fill yourself up with water.  How do you think I look like this!


















 The crowds and flotillas of four-wheel drives equated to a busy and noisy place.  The 45 min ride in a SUV up and over the dunes had Bocahita not only nauseous but more white knuckling as the SUV slip slid up and down the dunes....45 mins felt like a 6 hour car ride.

Oh yes, Bocahita just loved this adventure...while turning green.

ok who farted in the back seat!!

Bocahita rolling down the window to get some air...not a good idea Boca.

 Annie and Bubs laugh at the Bocahita's experience of the ride...

 Lot's of sand out here....

Then down to the tacky desert "camp" for bbq, entertainment and some "authentic style" fun....Annie and Boca get into the theme.













Bocahita tries the Hookah Pookah....cough cough cough.  Wine please.

Annie does one more henna and has fun with the Falcon...

 ok the entertainment begins....more whirling dervish.

 And Bubbs is chosen by the excellent Belly Dancer to have a lesson or two..

Who knew the Bubs could get down on his Titanium knees...

7 hours of hokey pokey tacky tourist madness...check that off the list for not again.  NO NO NO.  YES YES YES FOR THE RUSSIANS.  A second night of cheesy tacky not so fun for the Bocahita....who signed us up for this one???

At least Bubs tried to make lemonade out of the bushel of lemons.  You go Bubs!